{"id":1811,"date":"2022-12-05T11:32:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-05T11:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=1811"},"modified":"2022-12-05T11:39:23","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T11:39:23","slug":"2022-12-05-world-cup-round-of-16-pre-jpn-cro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2022-12-05-world-cup-round-of-16-pre-jpn-cro","title":{"rendered":"Japan Take to Croatia in Last-16"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Four quarter-finalists have been confirmed with another four spots up for grabs at the FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first of two Round of 16 encounters on Monday sees Japan take on Croatia. These nations have met three times before, with two of those coming at the World Cup. At each of the 1998 and 2006 events the teams shared a group but now, for the first time, they meet towards the business end of the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the final World Cup of last century, Croatia edged Japan by one goal to nil in Group H, and eight years later the two sides contested a <em>0-0<\/em> draw in Group F. The only player who was involved 16 years ago and is still in contention to feature later today is Croatia captain Luka Modri\u0107.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Modric-2006-836x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1814\" width=\"275\" height=\"340\"\/><figcaption><em>Modri\u0107 featured in the last meeting between Croatia and Japan in 2006.<br>(Photo: @FIFAWorldCup on Twitter)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Aged 20 at the time, the midfielder was a second-half substitute in what was just his sixth appearance for the national team and his first outing at the World Cup. Now, having amassed 158 caps, Modri\u0107 is presumably nearing the final chapter of his esteemed international career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 37-year-old was on the pitch for all but four minutes of Croatia&#8217;s three group matches and he is the first man to play at both the FIFA World Cup and European Championships in three different decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Modri\u0107 was crucial in steering his nation to the final in Russia 2018 but, having aged four years, their reliance on the skipper ought to wane a notch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">3 &#8211; Luka Modric is the first player to play in both the European Championship and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#FIFAWorldCup<\/a> in three different decades. Emblematic. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/28Co8gkKxh\">pic.twitter.com\/28Co8gkKxh<\/a><\/p>\u2014 OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OptaJoe\/status\/1595356407498477570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">November 23, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>For the first time, Japan have qualified for the Round of 16 at back-to-back World Cup events. Overall it is the fourth time they have advanced from the groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their first appearance in the knockouts came 20 years ago, when they co-hosted the tournament with South Korea, in what was the first World Cup on the Asian continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the Croatians, it is also the first time they have reached the last-16 at successive World Cups. Before 2018, Croatia had last progressed from the groups in 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third clash at the World Cup between these nations will be of far greater significance and consequence than both of their previous two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Clws9hYLEpc\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Clws9hYLEpc\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Clws9hYLEpc\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by 365Scores (@365scores)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>In retrospect, not many expected Japan to be in this particular Round of 16 tie which pits the winners of Group E with the runners-up from Group F. Although there was a fair possibility one of Germany or Spain would exit from the groups, it was widely expected that either of them would claim top spot in Group E.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lo and behold, Japan came from behind to beat the 2010 and 2014 winners, both by two goals to one. Despite a smash-and-grab defeat to Costa Rica, who conceded 11 goals versus Germany and Spain, those hard-earned victories over the two European nations meant the Blue Samurai occupied the summit of an extremely tough group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Croatia, meanwhile, were rather mundane in the group phase. The Balkans ended 2nd behind Morocco following two goalless draws surrounding a <em>4-1<\/em> win over Canada. Croatia failed to take advantage of Belgium&#8217;s implosion quite like the Moroccans did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2018 runners-up haven&#8217;t been at their best this World Cup and sources within Japanese football firmly believe the Blue Samurai can and will reach the quarter-finals at Qatar 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bookies have Japan at <strong><em>3.90<\/em><\/strong> to win and reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, while Croatia are <strong><em>2.00<\/em><\/strong> to take victory in regular time. Odds of <strong><em>3.40<\/em><\/strong> for the contest to end in a draw and be decided beyond 90 minutes. (<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bet365.com\/#\/AC\/B1\/C1\/D8\/E129146644\/F3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bet365<\/a><\/em>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Four quarter-finalists have been confirmed with another four spots up for grabs at the FIFA World Cup. The first of two Round of 16 encounters on Monday sees Japan take on Croatia. These nations have met three times before, with two of those coming at the World Cup. At each of the 1998 and 2006 &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1816,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_facebook_image":"","rank_math_robots":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,893],"tags":[888,162,921,279,108],"content-tags":[],"article_type":[],"entity_type":[],"inspiration":[],"class_list":["post-1811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer","category-world-cup","tag-croatia","tag-fifa-world-cup","tag-japan","tag-luka-modric","tag-soccer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1811"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"content-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-tags?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"entity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity_type?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"inspiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/inspiration?post=1811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}